Apparatus for raising sunken vessels

ABSTRACT

A lifting or raising assembly primarily designed for the raising of sunken vessels including two ships arranged on the surface of a body of water and substantially relative to one another wherein a plurality of cables are interconnected between a plurality of winches located on each ship and the sunken vessel itself. The cables are connected through one or more conduits extending from the deck to the keel of each ship and one or more rollers wherein the rollers and the channels each cooperate with corresponding winches such that activation of the winches causes drawing in of the cables which form a &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;cradle&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; about the sunken ship.

United States Patent [191 1 Oct. 29, 1974 APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS [76] Inventor: Fernando R. Gil, 902 W. Alfred,

Tampa, Fla. 33603 [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 314,081

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 150,261, June 7,

1971, abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 114/51 [51] Int. Cl. B63c 7/02 [58] Field of Search 114/51 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,005,408 10/1911 Brown 114/51 1,337,035 4/1920 Begg 114/51 1,567,116 12/1925 Curry 114/51 2,390,654 12/1945 Kittinger 114/51 2,561,926 7/1951 Jamison 114/51 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix 5 7 ABSTRACT A lifting or raising assembly primarily designed for the raising of sunken vessels including two ships arranged on the surface of a body of water and substantially relative to one another wherein a plurality of cables are interconnected between a plurality of winches located on each ship and the sunken vessel itself. The cables are connected through one or more conduits extending from the deck to the keel of each ship and one or more rollers wherein the rollers and the channels each cooperate with corresponding winches such that activation of the winches causes drawing in of the cables which form a cradle about the sunken ship.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures 20' ill,

APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS This application is a continuation-in-part application of presently co-pending application Ser. No. 150,261, filed June 7, l97l now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a lifting apparatus for raising sunken vessels to the surface of a body of water utilizing a plurality of cable means interconnected between the vessel and at least two ships positioned in predetermined relation to each other and to the vessel to be raised.

2. Description of the Prior Art The problem of recovering and reclaiming sunken vessels has been a recognized problem for many years. While it is often times economical to restore sunken vessels or like marine craft, there has not existed an efficient means of raising the vessels to the surface. A number of attempts have been made to design a system or assembly for raising these vessels, but to date, the majority of these prior art devices have proven to be generally inefficient, too expansive to operate or completely not functional.

Generally, existing prior art raising devices include one or more ships being connected to the sunken vessel by a plurality of chains or the like wherein the sunken vessel is attempted to be pulled" to the surface. While this general approach is substantially feasible, the particular structure utilized in prior art devices have not been properly designed to accomplish maximum efficiency. Such prior art devicesare shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 1,005,408, to Brown. Browns device for raising sunken vessels includes two ships interconnected to one another wherein each ship is equipped with a crane like device connected to the sunken vessel by a chain means. Apparently, activation of the cranes on each ship hopefully accomplishes raising of the vessel to the surface. While apparently such a device as shown in Brown is functional, such features as the direct interconnection between the two ships already on the sur face of the water and the handling of the sunken vessel by a single set of cables, provides a cumbersome way of handling the vessel to accomplish its being raised to the surface of the water and at that point being completely self-floating.

Accordingly, it is seen that there is a need in this industry for an efficient means of raising vessels to the surface of a body of water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an assembly and apparatus for raising sunken vessels or any type of marine craft.

The invention includes the use of two ships, each having a plurality of compartments disposed throughout the hull thereof wherein these compartments are capable of being filled with water to regulate the level of the is positioned on opposite sides and substantially adjacent to the center line of each ship. A plurality of rollers corresponding in number to the number of winches are arranged on the opposite, longitudinal sides of each ship and in aligned, communicating relation with a correspondingly positioned winch.

Cable positioning means in the form of a plurality of pairs of channels are positioned substantially adjacent to the plurality of pairs of winch means and in communicating relation therewith. Each channel of a pair of channels are arranged in spaced relation to the opposite channel of that pair and are separated by the center line of the particular ship on which they are formed. The channels extend completely through the hull of the ship from deck to keel and may be arranged at a similar angular relation to one another.

The invention further comprises cradle" means including a plurality of cables. Each cable has one end connected to a winch and the other end is adapted to be interconnected to a similar corresponding cable from the seond ship.

In operation, one of the two corresponding sets of cables is passed beneath the sunken vessel and then interconnected with the second set of cables from-the second ship. The set of cables used extends from the line of winches positioned on the side of the center line closest to the sunken vessel. These cables extend down through the channel positioned or associated with this set of winches as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

Alternately, a number of the cables may be removed from the channels and operatively engaged with their corresponding pulleys and then interconnected with its corresponding cable from the second ship as previously described.

As set forth above, to aid in the raising of the vessel, the water from the compartments of each ship, after the proper cables are interconnected, may be pumped from the hull so as to make the surface ships rise in the water, thereby pulling the sunken vessel free from the bottom on which it rests. At this point the winches are simultanteously activated pulling the sunken vessel upwardly to the surface of the water.

This invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the two surface ships interconnected to the sunken vessel by a plurality of cables.

FIG. 2 is a schematic end view of the arrangement of the vessels as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the cable positioning means.

FIG. 4 is a top, partial cutaway view of the winch and pulley cooperating assemblies which form part of the lift means of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of each ship of the present invention showing the disposition of the various compartments which are capable of being filled with water.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention relates to an apparatus and assembly generally indicated in FIG. 1 as including at least two surface ships 10 and 12 arranged in spaced relation to one another on the surface of a body of water 14 in which a sunken vessel or like marine craft 16 is located.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the hull of each ship 10 or 12 comprises a plurality of compartments 18 arranged along both sides and down the center of each ship running substantially parallel to one another and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of each ship. Each ship may also include a double bottom 20. Ships 1t) and 12 include means for flooding and removing fluid from each of these compartments. This may be in the form of a standard or conventional pump assembly controlled from a central location. However, the pump assembly per se forms no part of the present invention. The purpose of providing the hull structured in this manner is to regulate the flotation of each ship in the water so that when each of these ships is attached to the sunken vessel, the rising of each ship on the surface of the water has a tendency to pull the sunken vessel away from the bottom of the body of water in which it is located.

Lift means in the form of a plurality of pairs of winch means are located in spaced relation to one another substantially along the length of the ship immediately adjacent and on each side of the center line of the ship. These individual winches making up the winch pair are indicated as 20. The lift means further comprises a corresponding number of roller membes 22 located along both longitudinal sides of each ship as shown. These roller members 22 are substantially aligned with at least one winch 20 on the side of the centerline on which they are both formed. Cradle means in the form of a plurality of cables 24 are connected at one end to winch member 20 and include attachment means, e.g., shackles at the opposite end. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, cable positioning means includes a pair of channels 32 and 34 positioned immediately adjacent to and in communicating relation with winches 20 comprising each of the winch pairs. Channels 32 and 34 are arranged adjacent the centerline to reduce the rotational movement during operation. FIG. 3 depicts the use of channels (on either side of the centerline) with the lift means. For clarity, lines 24 and 24 have been shown on opposite sides of ship 10. In actual use however, both lines 24 and 24 would extend from the same side of each ship 10 and 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, cables 24 are extended from the winches 20 (inboard set) through corresponding channels 34 or 32. One of the two corresponding sets of cables 24 is then passed beneath the sunken vessel 16 and interconnected to the corresponding cables from the second ship.

Once the cables 24 are interconnected, the winches are actuated by pulling the sunken vessel 16 upward toward the surface. In this manner, the vessel 16 is efficiently raised to the surface 14 on the body of water which the ships 10 and 12 are located. It should be further pointed out that each of the winches of the plurality of winches can be operated from a central control station 42 located on each of the ships. By providing the row of pulleys and winches in the manner set forth in the drawings and described above, either side of either ship 10 or 12 can be used to raise a vessel 16 in the manner shown. In addition cables 24 are disposed to extend from their respective winches 20, over correspondingly positioned rollers or pulleys 22. Lines 24' are arranged in the manner described in predetermined spaced relation, such as every fourth line. This spaced relation occurs to avoid any tendency of the two surface ships to list to one side or to move together relative to each other. Hence, the main support of the sunken ship comes from lines 24 extending from corresponding winches 20 and down through adjacent channels 32 or 34.

It will thus be seen that the objects made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A raising assembly'designed for raising sunken vessels and the like from the bottom of a body of water, said assembly comprising at least two ships each including a centerline, said ships positioned in spaced apart relation relative to one another on each side of the sunken vessel by spreader means, cradle means including a first and second plurality of cables interconnected between each said ship and engaging the sunken vessel, lift means comprising a plurality of pairs of winch means arrangedin spaced relation substantially adjacent to and on opposite sides of the centerline of each of said ships and floatation means comprising a plurality of compartments in the hull of each said ship to selectively control the draft of each said ship, said spreader means comprising a plurality of rollers arranged along each side of each ship, each of said rollers aligned with at least one winch means of said plurality of winch pairs, cable positioning means including a plurality of pairs of substantially vertical narrow channels, each said pair of channels disposed in communicating relation to a winch means pair and corresponding to each of said first plurality of cables, said channels extending substantially through the hull of each said ship immediately adjacent the centerline of each said ship, to restrict the movement of each said corresponding cable to remain in a substantially vertical position within said channel, said first plurality of cables being interconnected between said corresponding winch means of said ships through said corresponding channels to control the depth of the sunken vessel, said second plurality of cables being interconnected between said corresponding winch means of said ships over said corresponding rollers to control the separation of said ships relative to each other; said first and second plurality of cables operatively engaging said sunken vessel substantially continuously throughout the raising of said sunken vessel. 

1. A raising assembly designed for raising sunken vessels and the like from the bottom of a body of water, said assembly comprising at least two ships each including a centerline, said ships positioned in spaced apart relation relative to one another on each side of the sunken vessel by spreader means, cradle means including a first and second plurality of cables interconnected between each said ship and engaging the sunken vessel, lift means comprising a plurality of pairs of winch means arranged in spaced relation substantially adjacent to and on opposite sides of the centerline of each of said ships and floatation means comprising a plurality of compartments in the hull of each said ship to selectively control the draft of each said ship, said spreader means comprising a plurality of rollers arranged along each side of each ship, each of said rollers aligned with at least one winch means of said plurality of winch pairs, cable positioning means including a plurality of pairs of substantially vertical narrow channels, each said pair of channels disposed in communicating relation to a winch means pair and corresponding to each of said first plurality of cables, said channels extending substantially through the hull of each said ship immediately adjacent the centerline of each said ship, to restrict the movement of each said corresponding cable to remain in a substantially vertical position within said channel, said first plurality of cables being interconnected between said corresponding winch means of said ships through said corresponding channels to control the depth of the sunken vessel, said second plurality of cables being interconnected between said corresponding winch means of said ships over said corresponding rollers to control the separation of said ships relative to each other; said first and second plurality of cables operatively engaging said sunken vessel substantially continuously throughout the raising of said sunken vessel. 